Idaho State legend, NFL sack master among nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame
Idaho State University Hall of Famer Jared Allen is among 14 first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2021 class.
Allen retired from the NFL in 2015 following a 12-year career at defensive end with the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs. He ranks 12th in NFL history with 136 sacks, including 22 sacks during the 2011 season, which remains tied for the second-most in NFL history.
While playing for the Vikings from 2008 to 2013, he accumulated 85.5 of his career sacks. He also made four of his five Pro Bowls and received three of his four first-team All-Pro nods with the Vikings.
“I think my career speaks for itself,” Allen told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I think the writing’s on the wall, and absolutely I think I competed at a level that’s Hall of Fame caliber.”
Allen was a fourth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2004 draft. He spent four seasons in Kansas City and recorded 43 sacks.
Whether Allen will be a first-ballot selection remains to be seen. Among the other first-year eligible nominees are two-time Super Bowl winner Peyton Manning, defensive back Charles Woodson, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, guard Logan Mankins and cornerback Charles Tillman.
A maximum of five modern-era players will be chosen when the selection committee meets Feb. 6 before Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida. In all, there are 130 nominees for five modern-era spots. The list of nominees includes 65 offensive players, 49 defensive players and 16 special teams players.
“I joke that I don’t really care when I get in, but if I have to be an asterisk to Peyton Manning’s class, I’m good with that,” Allen told the Pioneer Press. “I would love to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but I won’t be the one griping and complaining if it doesn’t happen.”
At Idaho State, Allen was a Buck Buchanan Award winner in 2003 after recording 102 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, nine pass deflections, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He also was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Big Sky honoree. His No. 41 was retired when he was inducted into the ISU Hall of Fame in 2009.
News & Notes
▪ Former Boise State defensive linemen Billy Winn and David Moa were added to NFL practice squads on Wednesday. Winn, a 6-4, 305-pound eighth-year player, joined the Green Bay Packers. Moa, a 6-foot-3, 296-pound rookie defensive tackle, was picked up by the Atlanta Falcons after being cut from the Minnesota Vikings.
▪ Safety Darian Thompson was one of three former BSU players to start on defense for the Dallas Cowboys in their 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. Thompson finished second on the team with 10 tackles, including nine solo.
▪ Jeremy McNichols (Boise State) was called up to the Tennessee Titans’ 53-man active roster before their season-opening 16-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night. And the running back showed the same fearlessness Boise State fans grew accustomed to seeing on The Blue. McNichols had his helmet ripped off when Denver’s Josey Jewell attempted to tackle him and grabbed his facemask. McNichols kept running anyway, and Denver was whistled for a 15-yard personal foul.
▪ Philadelphia Eagles receiver John Hightower (Boise State) was on the field for 27 snaps in his NFL debut. Hightower was targeted four times, catching his first NFL pass for a loss of 2 yards in a 27-17 loss to Washington.
▪ Safety George Iloka (Boise State) was signed to the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad on Thursday. He started 79 of the 99 games he played from 2012 to 2018, recording nine interceptions, nine tackles for loss and 32 passes defensed.
IDAHO TIES IN THE NFL
BOISE STATE
T, Ezra Cleveland, No. 72 Minnesota Vikings
OLB, Kamalei Correa, No. 40 Tennessee Titans
DL, Tyrone Crawford, No. 98 Dallas Cowboys
DB, Dont’e Deayon, No. 21 Los Angeles Rams (practice squad)
QB, Ryan Finley, No. 5 Cincinnati Bengals
C, Marcus Henry, No. 62 Dallas Cowboys (practice squad)
WR, John Hightower, No. 82 Philadelphia Eagles
S, George Iloka, Minnesota Vikings (practice squad)
DE, DeMarcus Lawrence, No. 90 Dallas Cowboys
LT, Charles Leno Jr., No. 72 Chicago Bears
RB, Alexander Mattison, No. 25 Minnesota Vikings
RB, Jeremy McNichols, No. 28 Tennessee Titans
DT, David Moa, Atlanta Falcons (practice squad)
G, John Molchon, No. 75 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (reserve/injured)
C, Matt Paradis (Council High), No. 61 Carolina Panthers
WR, A.J. Richardson, No. 83 Arizona Cardinals (practice squad)
QB, Brett Rypien, No. 4 Denver Broncos (practice squad)
S, Darian Thompson, No. 23 Dallas Cowboys
ILB, Tanner Vallejo, No. 51 Arizona Cardinals
LB, Leighton Vander Esch (Salmon River High), No. 55 Dallas Cowboys (reserve/injured)
DE, Curtis Weaver, No. 61 Cleveland Browns (reserve/injured)
WR, Cedrick Wilson, No. 11 Dallas Cowboys
DL, Billy Winn, No. 93 Green Bay Packers (practice squad)
IDAHO
WR, Jeff Cotton, No. 80 Los Angeles Chargers (practice squad)
G/T, Jesse Davis, No. 77, Miami Dolphins
LB, Kaden Elliss, No. 55 New Orleans Saints
G, Mike Iupati, No. 70 Seattle Seahawks
DE, Benson Mayowa, No. 95 Seattle Seahawks
RB, Elijhaa Penny, No. 39 New York Giants
IDAHO STATE
TE, Josh Hill (Blackfoot High), No. 89 New Orleans Saints
HIGH SCHOOLS
DE, Porter Gustin (Emmett High), No. 97 Cleveland Browns
QB, Taysom Hill (Highland High), No. 7 New Orleans Saints
DL, Jonah Williams (Rocky Mountain High), No. 62 Los Angeles Rams (practice squad)
